Chess Book Recs for Beginners

Originally posted by Wilfriedva
So in your book an 1800 duffer is a beginner.Hmm.....

If an 1800 wasn't a patzer he'd be a 2500.

patzer,yes
beginner,no

Originally posted by ketchuplover
How about "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" ?

Yes, "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" is a good book. I checked this book out from the library and think it would be a good book to go along with the Chess Self teacher. Here is some examples in the book.

YouTube

Yes I meant the Graham Burgess book.
There is loads of good stuff in that book, I don't know anyone who
has anything bad to say about it. It ticks all the boxes.
Any book that has the Morphy at the Opera 9 times! cannot be bad.
(he uses that game to show all the diffrent types of chess notation.)

"Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" I'd avoid. and not because RJ rec'd it
I've said in the past I'm not too fond of this one though I know some players
think it's good. (others I know have nothing good to say about it all.)

Someone mentioned Lasker's Strategy. Yeah.
Some of these old books are brilliant. They read well with perfect instructive
examples and are not dated, after all it is the same game.
Chernev's 'Most Instructive Games' is still a classic I'd rec to anyone.

I sometimes feel modern writers assumes the reader knows too much
and skip the basics so they can show you just how deep their computer can analyse.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Yes I meant the Graham Burgess book.
There is loads of good stuff in that book, I don't know anyone who
has anything bad to say about it. It ticks all the boxes.
Any book that has the Morphy at the Opera 9 times! cannot be bad.
(he uses that game to show all the diffrent types of chess notation.)

"Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" I'd avoid. and not b
and skip the basics so they can show you just how deep their computer can analyse.

It was my understanding that he wanted simple books that teaches chess. If one does not mind descrptive notation the books I recommended are very simple but it says nothing about "for Kids". The book you recommend is probably one for someone who has been playing chess for awhile.

P.S. I am not really familar with it, so I may be wrong. I think I saw it in the library one day, but if it is a big book that turns me off.

The OP opened with.

"I have a friend who has expressed an interest in learning to play chess beyond the novice level."

Without knowing anything about the lad or seeing any of his games
then this book is the one I would go for.

Every review I've seen praises it.

from:

http://www.chessworld.net/chessclubs/forums_thread_show_one_posteronleftstyle.asp?forumid=6015&ThreadID=3386955

First of all, I think it is fair to say that this book has a tough job. It tries to cover
not only the basics of chess, but also spotting mating patterns, tactics, strategy,
combinations, endgames, an openings index with a list of all the major openings
and a few minor ones with explanations and variations, traps and examples from
play. there is a huge section on the world of Chess including clubs, the internet,
computer chess and a chess glossary. Finally, there are some appendices covering
chess demographics and even some addresses. A mammoth task, and it does this
incredibly well inside 530 pages!!! there is a chapter on chess notation, so you can
read games from France, Russia, Spain, and also the ancient books, and to cap it
all there is a list of books for further reading.


Part 1: Mastering Chess

1) delivering mate, examples and solutions
2) Tactics
3) combinations, examples and puzzles/solutions
4) Endgames
5) Endgame Challenges
6) Openings
i) Open Games
ii) Semi-Open games
iii) Queen's Pawn Games
iv) Flank Openings and Miscellaneous
7) Attack and defence- examples, tests and solutions

Part 2: the World of Chess

1) Beginning Chess
2) the Chess Clock
3) Competitive Chess
4) Computer Chess
5) Internet Chess
6) Womens', Junior, Veterans' and Correspondence Chess
7) Endgame Studies
8) Chess in the media

Part 3: Essential Chess Information

1) Glossary of Chess Terms
2) A brief History of the World Chess Chamipionship
3) Appendix A: How to Play Chess
4) Appendix B: Chess Notation
5) Appendix C: The Basic Mates
6) Appendix D: Chess Demographics
7) Appendix E: Biblography and further reading

"Chernev's 'Most Instructive Games' is still a classic I'd rec to anyone. "

This book and Evan's "Modern Chess Brilliances" were two of my favorites.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
The OP opened with.

"I have a friend who has expressed an interest in learning to play chess beyond the novice level."

Without knowing anything about the lad or seeing any of his games
then this book is the one I would go for.

Every review I've seen praises it.

from:

http://www.chessworld.net/chessclubs/forums_thread_show_one_posteronle ...[text shortened]... c Mates
6) Appendix D: Chess Demographics
7) Appendix E: Biblography and further reading

"Chess Self-Teacher" by Al Horowitz, 194 pages.

Lesson 1: The Game of Chess

Explains the setup of pieces, how the pieces move including castling and "en passant" capture, and promotion of the pawn. Then it gives the laws of chess, which includes explanations of illegal moves, touch moves, and drawn games by stalemate, perpetual check, threefold repetition, 50-move rule, and insufficient force. This lesson ends with a sample game and how it is recorded in descriptive notation and meanings of symbols used. Finally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Lesson II: Basic Checkmates

Explains and gives examples of checkmating a lone king with a rook, two rooks, two bishops, a queen, and bishop and knight. The Zugzwang - the compulsion to move, the rook's rectangle, and stalemate pitfalls are shown during this part. Then explantions and examples are given of checkmating a king and pawn or two by using one knight, two knights, and bishop and pawn. Then comes the queen versus rook, rook verses bishop,and rool vesres knight checkmates. Following is a table of pawnless endings that indicates the expected result, a table of the relative values of the pieces, and a table of exchanges. Finally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Lesson III: Pawn Endings

This covers the square of queening and the exception of an obstucting pawn, the opposition, the rook's pawn exception, the exception of the bishop's pawn, and divided pawns. Fianally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Lesson !V: Minor Tactics

This covers multiple attack and guard and removal of the essential guard, overloaded piece, intrposition, obstruction, fork, discovered check, double check, absolute pin, relative pin, line pins, legal mate, counterattack, faulty counterattack, desperado, compensating attack, and diversion. Finally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Lesson V: Mating Combination - Part One

These deal with various combinations of the basic tactics and combined tactics that result in checkmates. The include decoy, line opening, self-block (Philidor's Legacy), square vacation, and first-rank mates. Finally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Lesson VI: Mating Combination - Part Two

These deal with checkmates using open files, one bishop sacrifice, two bishop sacrifice, and overloaded pawns. Finally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Lesson VII: Strategical Objectives: Part One

This covers the basic ideas of gaining contol of the center, rapid and effective development, increasing space, avoiding pawn weaknesses, and holes. Finally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Lesson VIII: Strategical Objectives: Part Two

This covers the safety of the king, and objectives, such as making an outpost, opening and seizing files, mobilizing a pawn wing, and winning the minor exchange. Finally comes the review questions followed by the answers, then a quiz followed by answers to the quiz.

Chernev's "An Invitation to Chess" is my favorite for those who know nothing of the game or those who are beginners. I don't think it has been put into algebraic yet - too bad. I finally just had to seek out a hardcover on amazon.

If you would like to consider an online option, I found this very good for absolute beginners:

http://www.chesskids.com/kidzone/index1.shtml

However, it ramps up the difficulty through each tutorial, so that by the final tutorials it is actually the sort of thing that would help a mid-range person.

Originally posted by ChessPraxis
TimmyBX wrote a great book. Contact him. 🙂

Here is my book 🙂

Tactics Time! 1001 Chess Tactics from the Games of Everyday Chess Players

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009TBYA7U/

Depends on your definition of "beginner", but players in the 1200-1400 range are probably the best for this book. The reviews have been really positive, and I have heard from people all over the world that it has helped their chess game.

Originally posted by TimmyBx
Here is my book 🙂

Tactics Time! 1001 Chess Tactics from the Games of Everyday Chess Players

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009TBYA7U/

Depends on your definition of "beginner", but players in the 1200-1400 range are probably the best for this book. The reviews have been really positive, and I have heard from people all over the world that it has helped their chess game.

I think you sell yourself too short Tim. I found it useful too, so I think it helps a range of chess strengths 🙂

Oh thanks! I mostly do that to avoid the "This is too easy" or "I already know all this" complaints and comments 🙂 Obviously the stronger the player is the easier the problems are, and the weaker the player is, the harder they are.

Originally posted by TimmyBx
Here is my book 🙂

Tactics Time! 1001 Chess Tactics from the Games of Everyday Chess Players

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009TBYA7U/

Depends on your definition of "beginner", but players in the 1200-1400 range are probably the best for this book. The reviews have been really positive, and I have heard from people all over the world that it has helped their chess game.

Once a player has been playing in a chess club for a year, he should no longer be called a beginner but a club player regardless of his rating and definitely needs to study tactics if he wishes to improve.

I haven't bought your book, but I am a subscriber to your Tactics Time Newletter and I think you are doing a good job of presenting the tactics that club players need to recognize in their games. I especially like those that the player of the actual game missed and you find. This should improve that persons tactical sight in future games.

Finding these tactical shots under the pressure of timed OTB games at a chess club are often hard to see for many club players, including myself. I think the player needs to limit himself to a certain amount of time that would be reasonable for OTB to solve each tacitic presented, if his goal is to improve in OTB play. I can solve the majority of tactical problems if I know there is one to be solved and have enough time, but OTB I am too aware of the clock and always hurry my moves.

Thanks RJ 🙂 Glad that you like it! I've heard from other people as well that they like when the tactics were missed in the game. That's good feedback! In the book I say for each problem if it was found or not in the game, and quite a few were missed in the games.

Good point too about use of the term "beginner".